Remote control for fuel line shut-off

ABSTRACT

This invention consists of a mechanism adapted to be connected into the fuel line of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle between the fuel tank and the fuel pump, the aforesaid mechanism consisting of a two-piece vertically disposed metal receptacle that has its two sections screwed together on assembly. The uppermost one of the two piece receptacle contains an electric solenoid that is connected to an electric battery and to a signal receiver that receives its impulses from a transmitter located in another vehicle. The solenoid has a spring-loaded plunger that has its lower end extending down through a seal in the bottom of the uppermost one of the two-piece receptacle and on into openings in the wall of a horizontally disposed Y-shaped tube that is located in the lowermost one of the two-piece receptacle. The side of the lower portion of the plunger has an opening therein through which fuel will flow when this invention is inactive; the lower end of the plunger is adapted to enter an opening in the wall of the angularly disposed portion of the Yshaped tube. This invention also has a blinking light connected to the aforesaid signal receiver in such a location as to be seen outside the vehicle containing this invention.

iliiited States Patent Kermith R. Thompson 7722 Dexter Blvd, Detroit, Mich. 48206 [21] Appl. No. 720,900

[22] Filed Apr. 12, 1968 [45] Patented May 25, 1971 [72] Inventor [54] REMOTE CONTROL FOR FUEL LINE SHUT-OFF 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 180/98, 251/141 [51] Int. Cl 860k 31/00 [50] Field of Search 180/98,

Primary Examiner-Kenneth 1-1. Betts ABSTRACT: This invention consists of a mechanism adapted to be connected into the fuel line of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle between the fuel tank and the fuel pump, the aforesaid mechanism consisting of a two-piece vertically disposed metal receptacle that has its two sections screwed together on assembly. The uppermost one of the two piece receptacle contains an electric solenoid that is connected to an electric battery and to a signal receiver that receives its impulses from a transmitter located in another vehicle. The solenoid has a spring-loaded plunger that has its lower end extending down through a seal in the bottom of the uppermost one of the two-piece receptacle and on into openings in the wall of a horizontally disposed Y-shaped tube that is located in the lowermost one of the two-piece receptacle. The side of the lower portion of the plunger has an opening therein through which fuel will flow when this invention is inactive; the lower end of the plunger is adapted to enter an opening in the wall of the angularly disposed portion of the Y-shaped tube. This invention also has a blinking light connected to the aforesaid signal receiver in such a location as to be seen outside the vehicle containing this invention.

PATENTEDHAYZSIQYI 3580.353

r l3 I2 26 18 FIG. I

FIG .2

INVENTOR KERMITH R. THOMPSON REMOTE CONTROL FOR FUEL LINE SHUT-OFF This invention relates to the fuel lines of internal combustion engines; more particularly, to a remote control for shutting off the fuel flowing through the fuel lines to the engine, as will hereinafter be described.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a remote control for fuel line shutoff that will aid law enforcement officers in apprehending offenders of the laws as well as being a preventative aid from accidents that occur during the pursuit of the offenders.

Another object of this invention is to provide a remote control for fuel line shut off that can be adapted not only to gasoline-powered vehicles but equally as well to Dieselpowered vehicles or any vehicle powered with an engine receiving its power from a gaseous fluid regardless of its contents.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a remote control for fuel line shut off that will permit a pursuit vehicle to shut off the fuel feeding to the engine of any number of vehicles within a predetermined radius at the same time and with only one movement of the control in the pursuit vehicle.

Other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from consideration of the following detail description when the description is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertically disposed sectional view of the fuel control portion of this invention in a closed position.

FIG. 3 is a vertically disposed sectional view of the fuel control portion of this invention in an open position.

In the several views of the accompanying drawing, like parts of this invention are indicated by like reference numbers.

The reference number 5 indicates a two-piece vertically disposed metal receptacle in which is located the mechanism that actually shuts off the fuel of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle as it flows from the fuel tank to the fuel pump. The aforesaid two-piece receptacle consists of an upper receptacle 6, having a flat top 7, to the underside of which is secured a solenoid 8 that is connected by a wire 9 to a signal receiver 10 as well as by a wire 11 to one terminal of an electric battery 12 which has its other terminal connected by a wire 13 to one side of the aforesaid upper receptacle 6. The just-mentioned receptacle 6 has it bottom 14 provided with a centrally located opening in which is fitted a seal 15 through which slidably passes the vertically disposed plunger 16 of the aforesaid solenoid 8.

Looking carefully at FIGS. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that the bottom of the cylindrical side 17 of the aforesaid receptacle 6 extends down below the aforesaid bottom 14 and is provided with external threads which screw into the top of the cylindrical receptacle 18 that forms the second part of the aforesaid two-piece metal receptacle 5 of this invention. The cylindrical receptacle 18 has a horizontally disposed Y-shaped tube 19 removably secured therein as well as having an air cleaning screen 20 at its bottom.

Continuing to look at FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing it will be seen that the upper end of the aforesaid plunger 16 is larger in diameter that the lower portion which is encompassed by a coil spring 21 on the underside of the aforesaid bottom 14 of the receptacle 6. The lowermost portion of the plunger 16 slidably projects down into suitable openings in the aforesaid Y-shaped tube 19. An opening 22 is located in the lower portion of the often-mentioned plunger 16 in order that fuel flowing from the fuel tank of the internal combustion engine through the tube 23 into one end of the aforesaid Y-shaped tube may flow on through the Y-shaped tube and on out through the tube 24 to the fuel pump of the internal combustion engine.

The only two parts of this invention that have not been mentioned are the antenna 25 of the receiver 10 and the blinking signal light 26 that is connected to the aforesaid receiver 10.

The way in which this invention works is as follows: The aforesaid two-piece metal receptacle 5 is connected into the fuel line system with the tube 23 being connected to the fuel tank and the tube 24 being connected to the fuel pump of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle. The signal receiver 10 and the electric battery 12 are connected to the fuel control portion 5 in the manner previously described and illustrated in FIG. I of the accompanying drawing. This invention normally has the internal mechanism of the often mentioned two-piece metal receptacle 5 set in the manner shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing. Here it is seen that the plunger 16 is held in the downward position by means of the aforesaid coil spring 21, thereby letting the fuel flow through the device in the manner shown in the drawing. Should the vehicle having this invention installed therein be driven in a way as to cause one or more law enforcement officers to want to stop the vehicle, all the law enforcement officers will have to do is to activate a signal transmitter in their own vehicle that will send out a signal that will be picked up by the antenna 25 of the receiver 10 that will transmit an electric impulse to the solenoid 8 which will then pull the plunger 16 upward in the position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, thereby cutting off the flow of fuel from the fuel tank of the vehicle to the fuel pump. This lack of fuel to the pump and its internal combustion engine will soon cause the engine of the vehicle to stop for want of fuel. As soon as the signal is received by the aforesaid receiver 10, the blinking light 26, suitably located on the outside of the vehicle, will start to blink, thereby warning other vehicles that a vehicle is being pursued. It will also indicate to other law enforcement officers just which vehicle is being pursued. Although it is not shown in the drawing, the aforesaid receiver 10 can be provided with a sound producing device as well as the blinking light 26.

From the foregoing, it is seen that I have herein provided a remote control for fuel line shutoff that meets all of the requirements of the above stated objects of this invention which is subject to any and all changes and/or modifications that one may care to make in so long as the changes and/or modifications fall within the scope and intent of the appended claims.

What I now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A remote control for cutoff of the flow of fuel through the fuel line of a motor vehicle, comprising a manually operated radiant energy signal transmitter, a radiant energy receiver on said motor vehicle to receive energy from said signal transmitter, electrically operated mechanism connected to the output of the signal receiver for cutting off the flow of fuel through said fuel line when said signal receiver receives a signal from said signal transmitter, said mechanism comprising a metal receptacle having a screen bottom, an electric solenoid secured to the underside of the top of said receptacle, a horizontally disposed Y-shaped tube in the lower portion of said receptacle, one end of said Y-shaped tube connected to the fuel tank of said vehicle, the other end of said Yshaped tube connected to the fuel pump of said vehicle, the third opening of said Y-shaped tube is angularly disposed toward the said screen 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said solenoid is provided with a vertically disposed spring-loaded plunger having an opening in the side of the lower portion thereof, the lower end of the said plunger slidably passing through an opening in the center of the said Y-shaped tube and at a right angle to the said Y-shaped tube and down through the opening in the upper wall of the angularly disposed portion of the said Y- shaped tube when the said apparatus has been activated to shut off the fuel of the said internal combustion engine.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the said signal receiver is provided with a blinking light that is located on the exterior surface of the said vehicle having the said signal receiver therein, the said blinking light going on when the said apparatus is activated.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the receptacle is in two parts, one above the other, the lower portion of the upper part is in threaded engagement'with the upper portion of the lower part. 

1. A remote control for cutoff of the flow of fuel through the fuel line of a motor vehicle, comprising a manually operated radiant energy signal transmitter, a radiant energy receiver on said motor vehicle to receive energy from said signal transmitter, electrically operated mechanism connected to the output of the signal receiver for cutting off the flow of fuel through said fuel line when said signal receiver receives a signal from said signal transmitter, said mechanism comprising a metal receptacle having a screen bottom, an electric solenoid secured to the underside of the top of said receptacle, a horizontally disposed Y-shaped tube in the lower portion of said receptacle, one end of said Y-shaped tube connected to the fuel tank of said vehicle, the other end of said Y-shaped tube connected to the fuel pump of said vehicle, the third opening of said Y-shaped tube is angularly disposed toward the said screen
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said solenoid is provided with a vertically disposed spring-loaded plunger having an opening in the side of the lower portion thereof, the lower end of the said plunger slidably passing through an opening in the center of the said Y-shaped tube and at a right angle to the said Y-shaped tube and down through the opening in the upper wall of the angularly disposed portion of the said Y-shaped tube when the said apparatus has been activated to shut off the fuel of the said internal combustion engine.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the said signal receiver is provided with a blinking light that is located on the exterior surface of the said vehicle having the said signal receiver therein, the said blinking light going on when the said apparatus is activated.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the receptacle is in two parts, one above the other, the lower portion of the upper part is in threaded engagement with the upper portion of the lower part. 